Police clash with anti-Islam demonstrators in Cologne

German police in Cologne rolled out water cannons to break up an anti-Islam demonstration on Saturday after protestors attacked officers with fireworks and bottles, marking an escalation of tensions following the alleged New Year’s Eve sexual assaults on dozens of women in the city at the hands foreigners, including some refugees.

About 1,700 people, including hundreds of self-described hooligans and other far-right elements, turned up for the march through the city’s center to protest the New Year’s Eve attacks.

A number of left-wing groups staged counter protests that drew about 1,300 participants.

The protests included hooligans and other far-right element (Getty)

Local and federal authorities dispatched nearly two thousand police officers to keep the protests from turning violent.

Though the police succeeded in keeping the two sides from clashing, the show of force didn’t dissuade some in the anti-Islam group, known as Pegida (a German acronym for Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West) from attacking the officers.

A group of about 100 people at the head of the Pegida march pelted police with bottles and firecrackers as protestors chanted “we are the people” and waved German flags, according to local media reports and video footage from the scene.

Police in riot gear responded by dispersing the demonstration about 40 minutes after it got underway with water cannons. There were no reports of serious injuries.

Though anti-Islam demonstrations aren’t uncommon in Germany, they usually don’t turn violent.

Right-Wing groups rallied following the Cologne incidents on New Year’s eve (Getty)

The New Year’s Eve attacks have inflamed passions across the country as Germans increasingly question Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to open the country’s borders to more than one million refugees.

Nearly 40% of German women plan to avoid large gatherings in the wake of the attacks, according to a poll commissioned by German public television.

Merkel has responded to the concerns by pledging to take tougher action against criminal refugees, including by deporting them.

The executive committee of Merkel’s Christian Democrat Union agreed to a detailed list of measures on Saturday to crack down on crime by foreigners. The proposals include making it possible to revoke a foreigner’s residency permit even for crimes that result in a suspended sentence. Under current rules, foreigners only risk losing their right to residency if convicted for crimes that carry a sentence of at least one year in prison.

The CDU executive also said it would push to make physical harassment, such as groping, a punishable offense. Many of the women assaulted in Cologne said the attackers groped their breasts and crotches, acts currently not classified as crimes under German law.

“What happened on New Year’s Eve are repulsive criminal acts that demand decisive action,” Merkel said, adding that the proposed reforms were “just as much in the interest of a majority of refugees as they are for citizens.”

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JR

I_write_how_it_is

Democracy in Germany is threatened – the EU should use sanctions on Germany to protect free of speech 🙂

Posted on 1/9/16 | 8:40 PM CEST

Veritas-Semper

Wo sind Herren Schulz, Timmermans und Juncker??

Is this not the continuing trampling of democracy in Germany? First, the “free media” in Germany auto-censor themselves (extremely good training by the German government, one must admit) and together with the German government they remain silent for 5 days trying to figure out how to present the” New Year sexual assault celebration” by “welcomed guests” in politically correct terminology. They could not square this circle, in the end. Now, the freedom to protest is trampled in Cologne.

Und so, wo sind Herren Schulz, Timmermans und Juncker?

Ah, they are too busy wagging their collective fingers at the democratically elected government of Poland.

Posted on 1/9/16 | 11:17 PM CEST

Johann M. Wolff

Well meanwhile it took the German media 5 days to report what went on in Cologne at NY eve (and a lot of pressure on social media), about the PEGIDA demo each newspaper have at least 3 articles.

Glad that we have such a balanced media and truthful politicians. Wondering how do we have the nerve to criticize Poland’s media law.

Posted on 1/10/16 | 12:00 AM CEST

Angela Burqa

Wow, “self-described hooligans and other far-right elements” and “A number of left-wing groups”. I am having a deja vu. Flashback to the Polish commie media in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s: “hooligan elements” and “upstanding citizens”.

Posted on 1/10/16 | 12:02 AM CEST

Victor Lahovary

I’m surprised to see such prompt use of water canons from the same police agents who had declared themselves overwhelmed by the New Year’s Eve situation. Why didn’t they use the same water canons then as well, in the first place, to prevent any further deterioration of the situation? Or are the water canons strictly to be used against Christian protesters only?

Posted on 1/10/16 | 1:06 AM CEST

uk

Where were the water cannons when huge gangs of men were assaulting women .

Posted on 1/10/16 | 1:10 AM CEST

Dominik

Germany is country without freedom of speech. Where is Soviet European Union ?

Something’s grossly wrong with the German government. While the police failed to take action against the rapists, they were quick to act against the protest demonstrations in Cologne. If the Govt acts in an imbalanced and biased manner, it will inevitably lead to rise of extreme right wingers or fascists. Ms Merkel, the choice is yours.